Systems and methods for staking combinations of digital articles to upgrade player type in an online game

ABSTRACT

Systems and methods to facilitate staking of combinations of different types of digital articles on a permanent registry to upgrade player type within an online gaming platform supporting different player types are disclosed. Exemplary implementations may execute instances of a game; control player accounts associated with the players; facilitate usage of multiple different digital articles that are usable to upgrade players from the first player type to a second player type, wherein upgrading unlocks additional utilities; receive an upgrade instruction from the first player, in exchange for staking a combination of a particular amount of a first type of digital article and a second type of digital article; perform an in-game action falling within the additional utilities on behalf of the first player, wherein the in-game action is performed by virtue of the first player having been upgraded to the second player type; and/or other steps.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure relates to systems and methods to facilitateusage of combinations of different types of digital articles havingdifferent utilities for different types of players within an onlinegaming platform, and, in particular, allowing players of a first playertype to upgrade to a second player type.

BACKGROUND

Online gaming platforms are known. In-game currencies are known. Havingdifferent types of players interacting in the same game is known.Upgrading the available utilities of an individual player in exchangefor some type of consideration is known.

SUMMARY

One aspect of the present disclosure relates to a system configured tofacilitate staking of combinations of different types of digitalarticles on a permanent registry to upgrade player type within an onlinegaming platform supporting different player types. The system mayinclude electronic storage, an online gaming platform, one or moreregistry servers, and/or other components. The system may be configuredto execute instances of a game. The system may be configured to controlplayer accounts associated with the players. The system may beconfigured to facilitate usage of multiple different digital articleswithin the online gaming platform. The multiple different digitalarticles are usable by the individual players of the first player typeto upgrade to the second player type. Upgrading to the second playertype unlocks the additional set of utilities. The system may beconfigured to receive an upgrade instruction from the first player toupgrade the first player to the second player type, in exchange forstaking a combination of a particular amount of a first type of digitalarticle and a second type of digital article. The system may beconfigured to perform an in-game action falling within the additionalutilities on behalf of the first player, wherein the in-game action isperformed by virtue of the first player having been upgraded to thesecond player type. The system may be configured to perform other steps.

Another aspect of the present disclosure related to a method offacilitating staking of combinations of different types of digitalarticles on a permanent registry to upgrade player type within an onlinegaming platform supporting different player types. The method mayinclude executing instances of a game. The method may includecontrolling player accounts associated with the players. The method mayinclude facilitating usage of multiple different digital articles withinthe online gaming platform. The multiple different digital articles areusable by the individual players of the first player type to upgrade tothe second player type. Upgrading to the second player type unlocks theadditional set of utilities. The method may include receiving an upgradeinstruction from the first player to upgrade the first player to thesecond player type, in exchange for staking a combination of aparticular amount of a first type of digital article and a second typeof digital article. The method may include performing an in-game actionfalling within the additional utilities on behalf of the first player,wherein the in-game action is performed by virtue of the first playerhaving been upgraded to the second player type. The method may includeother steps.

As used herein, any association (or relation, or reflection, orindication, or correspondency, or correlation) involving servers,processors, client computing platforms, players, player accounts, playertypes, currencies, inventories, articles, digital articles,combinations, instructions, requests, exchanges, exchange rates,amounts, upgrades, challenges, offers, transactions, in-game actions,virtual territories, virtual items, distributions, benefits, ownership,rights, permanent registries, metrics, metric values, operations,determinations, verifications, distributions, transfers, presentations,interfaces, notifications, and/or another entity or object thatinteracts with any part of the system and/or plays a part in theoperation of the system, may be a one-to-one association, a one-to-manyassociation, a many-to-one association, and/or a many-to-manyassociation or “N”-to-“M” association (note that “N” and “M” may bedifferent numbers greater than 1).

As used herein, the term “obtain” (and derivatives thereof) may includeactive and/or passive retrieval, determination, derivation, transfer,upload, download, submission, and/or exchange of information, and/or anycombination thereof. As used herein, the term “effectuate” (andderivatives thereof) may include active and/or passive causation of anyeffect, both local and remote. As used herein, the term “determine” (andderivatives thereof) may include measure, calculate, compute, estimate,approximate, generate, and/or otherwise derive, and/or any combinationthereof.

These and other features, and characteristics of the present technology,as well as the methods of operation and functions of the relatedelements of structure and the combination of parts and economies ofmanufacture, will become more apparent upon consideration of thefollowing description and the appended claims with reference to theaccompanying drawings, all of which form a part of this specification,wherein like reference numerals designate corresponding parts in thevarious figures. It is to be expressly understood, however, that thedrawings are for the purpose of illustration and description only andare not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention. As usedin the specification and in the claims, the singular form of ‘a’, ‘an’,and ‘the’ include plural referents unless the context clearly dictatesotherwise.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a system configured to facilitate staking ofcombinations of different types of digital articles on a permanentregistry to upgrade player type within an online gaming platformsupporting different player types, in accordance with one or moreimplementations.

FIG. 2 illustrates a method of facilitating staking of combinations ofdifferent types of digital articles on a permanent registry to upgradeplayer type within an online gaming platform supporting different playertypes, in accordance with one or more implementations.

FIGS. 3A-3B illustrate example implementations of player interfaces, asmay be used by a system configured to facilitate staking of combinationsof different types of digital articles on a permanent registry toupgrade player type within an online gaming platform supportingdifferent player types, in accordance with one or more implementations.

FIG. 4 illustrates an exemplary view of interactive gameplay in aninstance of a game, as may be used by a system configured to facilitatestaking of combinations of different types of digital articles on apermanent registry to upgrade player type within an online gamingplatform supporting different player types, in accordance with one ormore implementations.

FIGS. 5A-5B illustrate exemplary permanent registries, as may be used bya system configured to facilitate staking of combinations of differenttypes of digital articles on a permanent registry to upgrade player typewithin an online gaming platform supporting different player types, inaccordance with one or more implementations.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 illustrates a system 100 configured to facilitate staking ofcombinations of different types of digital articles on a permanentregistry to upgrade player type within an online gaming platformsupporting different player types 105, in accordance with one or moreimplementations. In some implementations, player type isplayer-specific. Alternatively, and/or simultaneously, in some cases,player type may apply to a subset of player-controllable characters thatare controlled by a particular player. In some cases, player type mayapply to part of an individual player's inventory. Any of theseimplementations may be referred to as player type. The different playertypes may provide access to different types of utilities within onlinegaming platform 105. As used herein, the term “utility” may representgoods, services, content, access, and/or other types of uses thatplayers can experience within online gaming platform 105, e.g., inexchange for consideration. Alternatively, and/or simultaneously, autility may be one or more of (i) a virtual item that can be used withinonline gaming platform 105, (ii) access to a restricted area within agame, (iii) participation in a particular multi-player game mode withinonline gaming platform 105, (iv) access to a particular media channelthat is related to online gaming platform 105, and/or other types ofuses that players can experience within online gaming platform 105. Insome implementations, a utility may be (access to) distributionsassociated with benefit-producing virtual territories in online gamingplatform 105. As used herein, the term “benefit” may represent anythingof value or use in system 100, or online gaming platform 105, orregistry servers 111, or anything that can be exchanged or otherwisetraded for something of such value or use, whether tangible or not,whether physical or virtual. The term “in-game benefit” refers to anybenefit of value or use within online gaming platform 105, or anybenefit of value or use within a game that is executed within onlinegaming platform 105. By way of non-limiting example, an amount ofin-game currency and in-game virtual items are in-game benefits.

As used herein, the term “virtual territory” may represent any specificlocation or area in online gaming platform 105 and/or in a game that isexecuted within online gaming platform 105, whether fixed in place(e.g., a mountain top) or not (e.g., a moving train), or a mix of both(e.g., a trading hub in an orbiting space station). In someimplementations, individual virtual territories may produce (in-game)benefits, either directly (e.g., a farm, a mine, a factory, etc.) orindirectly (e.g., a toll road, a trading hub whether individualtransactions are taxed, an amusement park). In some implementations,indirectly produced benefits may be provided not at the expense of someplayers, but rather as part of the design of the (economic) mechanics ofa game (e.g., collect $200 when passing “GO” in Monopoly™). Thesevirtual territories may be referred to as benefit-producing virtualterritories.

As used herein, a digital article is fungible if it is functionallyand/or physically indistinguishable from another digital article. Forexample, a payment token such as a Bitcoin is fungible. A digitalarticle may be non-fungible if it is unique, e.g., one-of-a-kind. Forexample, a specific individual CryptoKitty™ may be non-fungible. Adigital article may be semi-fungible if there is a set of a limitednumber of similar but distinguishable digital articles. For example, alimited-edition Blanko™ or another in-game character may besemi-fungible. For example, one of a limited number of 2-dimensional or3-dimensional in-game virtual items may be semi-fungible. For example, adigital ticket to a show, concert, exhibition, and/or other event may besemi-fungible. For example, a piece of art or jewelry (e.g., as avirtual item or as representing a physical item) may be semi-fungible.As used herein, semi-fungible digital articles are considered as unique,“not fungible”, or non-fungible digital articles. In someimplementations, digital articles may be usable within one or moregames. In some implementations, virtual territories may be considerednon-fungible digital articles. Within online gaming platform 105, atleast some of the virtual territories may be acquired and/or otherwiseobtained in exchange for some amount of a specific type of fungibledigital article (e.g., the token currency). This specific type offungible digital article may be implemented as a specific type offungible token on one or more permanent registries such as blockchain117 a. In some implementations, at least some of the virtual territoriesmay be acquired and/or otherwise obtained in exchange for staking acombination of a particular amount of a first type of digital articleand a second type of digital article.

As used herein, the term “unique digital article” may refer to digitalarticles that are uniquely identified and/or uniquely identifiable,e.g., by an identifier or by identifying information. For example, insome implementations, an identifier or identifying information mayinclude or be based on a combination of different types of information,including but not limited to information regarding the type of a digitalarticle, a serial number and/or other (alpha)numerical identifier of thedigital article, and/or other types of information. As used herein,rights pertaining to unique digital articles may be tracked, recorded,and/or otherwise registered on one or more permanent registries. Assuch, a unique digital article may be a registry-tracked unique digitalarticle.

Individual unique digital articles may be associated and/or correlatedwith another entity (which may be referred to as a “correlated entity”)by virtue of technology provided and/or supported by the one or morepermanent registries on which the rights pertaining to the individualunique digital articles is tracked (including but not limited to smartcontracts and/or other executable code on the one or more permanentregistries). Accordingly, rights pertaining to a unique digital articlemay correlate to the provision of one or more rights (e.g., usagerights) with respect to the correlated entity. Transactions involving aunique digital article recorded on a permanent registry may correlate tocertain transactions (or modifications) of the correlated entity, and/orvice versa. For example, exchanging and/or trading a particular virtualterritory within a game (from one set of players to another set ofplayers) may correspond to a transaction recorded on the permanentregistry (of a unique digital article that is correlated to theparticular virtual territory). In some implementations, this transactionmay include a transfer of the specific type of fungible token thatimplements the specific type of fungible digital article.

In some implementations, correlated entities may be (or include) virtualitems configured to be used within online-gaming platform 105 (such as,for example, a player-controllable in-game virtual character that isusable within an instance of a game within online gaming platform 105).Other types and/or combinations of correlated entities are envisionedwithin the scope of this disclosure, including but not limited tophysical and/or virtual objects, items, rights, memberships, grants,etc. The use of the singular “entity” or “correlated entity” is notintended to be limiting, as multiple different objects, items, rights,memberships, grants, etc. may be correlated to a single unique digitalarticle. By way of non-limiting example, a correlated entity may be anart work, a ticket to an event, a subscription to certain media content,a bundle of rights related to captured audio and/or video information,ownership of or accessibility to distribution gains, and so forth. Asused herein, the term “non-fungible token” or “NFT” may be used to referto a combination of a particular unique digital article and a particularcorrelated entity that is correlated to the particular unique digitalarticle.

As a preliminary and non-limiting example, by virtue of the systems andmethods described in this disclosure, online gaming platforms maysupport different types of players who can interact with each other inthe same games and on the same online gaming platforms. Additionally,the systems and methods described herein may support using multipledifferent types of digital articles (e.g., virtual currencies, fungibledigital articles, non-fungible digital articles, etc.) having differentutilities for different types of players. In particular, individualplayers of a first player type (e.g., “free-to-play”) can upgrade to asecond player type (e.g., “premium” or “subscription-based”), and indoing so additional utilities may become available to these individualplayers. Upgrading may happen in exchange for a combination of differenttypes of digital articles.

The different types of digital articles may include one or more of afungible digital article (e.g., a first currency, or a “tokencurrency”), a unique digital article, one or more in-game currencies(e.g., coins, gold, gems, virtual bucks, etc.), and/or other digitalarticles. In some implementations, the combination of different types ofdigital article may include a first type of digital article, a secondtype of digital article, and/or other types of digital articles. Forexample, multiple types of digital articles may be tradeable on one ormore permanent registries (e.g., a blockchain such as a blockchain 117 aimplemented by one or more registry servers 111). In someimplementations, the first type of digital article may be a fungibledigital article. In some implementations, the second type of digitalarticle may also be a fungible digital article. In otherimplementations, the second type of digital article may be anon-fungible digital article, e.g., a unique digital article.

In some implementations, a particular currency such as the tokencurrency may be a fungible digital article that is tradeable on apermanent registry). In some implementations, a different currency suchas a subscription currency may (only) be available for purchase usingtoken currency, at least within online gaming platform 105. In otherwords, the subscription currency may not be available for purchase using(any of the) in-game currencies (i.e., other than the token currency).Accordingly, the price of the subscription currency may be (capable ofbeing) decoupled from certain other currencies, including fiat currency.

System 100 may include one or more online gaming platforms 105, registryserver(s) 111, administration server(s) 115, client computingplatform(s) 104, user interface(s) 125, server(s) 102, externalresource(s) 138, and/or other components. Players 123 (also referred toas users) may include one or more of a first player, a second player, athird player, a fourth player, an administrative user, and/or otherplayers. Players 123 may include players who play and/or otherwiseinteract on online gaming platform 105. As used in descriptions herein,any use of the term “player” may refer to player(s) 123. Electronicstorage 130 a and electronic storage 130 b may be similar to electronicstorage 130 as described elsewhere in this disclosure, though includedin administration servers 115, and registry servers 111, respectively,as depicted in FIG. 1.

Instances of games may be executed within one or more online gamingplatforms 105. As used herein, online gaming platform 105 may refer toeither an individual game (e.g., an interactive online game), a type ofgaming console and its ecosystem, and/or both. Online gaming platform105 may be configured to host (and/or execute instances of) the one ormore (online) games. Online gaming platform 105 may be operated, hosted,and/or owned by one or more stakeholders of online gaming platform 105.For example, a platform operator (and/or another stakeholder, such as anowner) may sell in-game digital items (e.g., characters, weapons,resources, etc.) to players 123 of online gaming platform 105.

Referring to the game and to online gaming platform 105, in someimplementations, individual players may own and/or control individualunique digital articles, correlated entities, and/or other virtualitems, and exchange these with (or to) other individual players. As usedherein, exchanges refer to individual players winning, losing,auctioning, selling, purchasing, trading, bartering, wagering, staking,and/or otherwise exchanging virtual items (directly, without a store orstore interface under control of online gaming platform 105) to otherindividual players or with other individual players (includingexchanging virtual items through player-to-player challenges). Due to anexchange, ownership of one or more digital articles may transition froman original owner to a new owner (even if there may, in someimplementations, be one or more intermediary and/or temporary ownersduring the process of performing the exchange). In some implementations,unique digital articles may be associated and/or correlated with otherrights than ownership rights, such as, by way of non-limiting example,access to distributions (also referred to as “distribution rights”).

In some implementations, distribution rights of (unique) digitalarticles may reflect rights held by one or more of the players 123 toreceive certain distributions (e.g., of in-game benefits) upon theoccurrence of certain events. For example, such events may includeexchanges involving the particular digital articles. In someimplementations, the distributions may occur subsequent or responsive toa particular event or action (such as, e.g., a sale of a particulardigital article), e.g., within online gaming platform 105. As usedherein, in-game benefits may include one or more of a portion of theproceeds of the particular event or action, a fee related to theparticular event or action, a minimum payment triggered by theoccurrence of the particular event or action (or a set of particularevents or actions), and/or another arrangement for payment and/orcompensation, including but not limited to combinations of fixed fees,minimum fees, percentages of sales, percentages of profits, and/or otherarrangements. The term “portion” does not imply or require a percentageor ratio, but rather is intended to signify that beneficiaries mayreceive something of value and/or use. The distribution may include oneor more virtual currencies such as virtual tokens, virtual stars,virtual points, real-world currencies (e.g., US Dollars), and/or otherbenefits.

In some implementations, (unique) digital articles, correlated entities,and/or other virtual items may include and/or be virtual items that arenot fungible and may be usable within online gaming platform 105. Insome implementations, these may represent (three-dimensional) in-gameplayer-controllable characters that can interact with other (in-game)virtual items within online gaming platform 105. In someimplementations, virtual items may include one or more of territories,weapons, toys, characters, abilities, skills, tools, pets, clothing,vehicles, game levels, missions, assignments, chapters, tasks,mini-games, restricted areas within a virtual space, restricted modes ofgameplay, access rights within an online game, and/or other virtualitems. In some implementations, virtual items may refer to any item orobject within online gaming platform 105 for which a player may use,own, sell, trade, destroy, and/or otherwise effectuate a change ofownership or control.

Registry server(s) 111 (e.g., registry server 111 a, registry server 111b, and so forth) may be used to implement one or more permanentregistries, including but not limited to blockchain 117 a, blockchain117 b (partially visible in FIG. 1), and so forth. In someimplementations, one or more permanent registries may be decentralizedand/or immutable registries (e.g., an append-only blockchain). In someimplementations, blockchain 117 a and blockchain 117 b may be maintainedby distributed computing platforms (not shown in FIG. 1). In someimplementations, a distributed computing platform may be implemented bya set of client computing platforms and/or servers (including, forexample, one or more registry servers 111). The distributed computingplatform may support a virtual machine (not shown in FIG. 1). Thedistributed computing platform and/or the virtual machine may form aruntime environment for smart contracts (sometimes referred to asprograms), and/or other executable code. A distributed computingplatform may include electronic storage configured to store part or allof blockchain 117 a. For example, the smart contracts may be stored onblockchain 117 a, blockchain 117 b, and/or another permanent registry.In some implementations, the distributed computing platform may be theEOSIO platform. In some implementations, the distributed computingplatform may be similar to or based on the EOSIO platform. In someimplementations, the distributed computing platform may be ETHEREUM. Insome implementations, the distributed computing platform may be similarto or based on ETHEREUM. In some implementations, the distributedcomputing platform may be the POLYGON platform. In some implementations,the distributed computing platform may be similar to or based on thePOLYGON platform. In some implementations, the distributed computingplatform may be the SOLANA platform. In some implementations, thedistributed computing platform may be similar to or based on the SOLANAplatform. In some implementations, the virtual machine may be adistributed and/or decentralized virtual machine.

In some implementations, at least one of the permanent registriesimplemented by registry servers 111 is a private permissioned permanentregistry (e.g., a private permissioned blockchain). The privatepermissioned permanent registry may be configured to record information,including but not limited to fungible digital articles and non-fungibledigital articles. The recorded information may include informationpertaining to unique digital articles that are associated and/orcorrelated with in-game player-controllable characters that areconfigured to be used in an instance of a game. The recorded informationmay include rights pertaining to the unique digital articles.Implementing the in-game actions in the instance of the game mayinclude, for at least some of the in-game actions implemented in theinstance of the game, effectuating modifications to the recordedinformation pertaining to the unique digital article. For example,ownership and/or usage rights may be modified. In some implementations,a unique digital article may be removed from one permanent registry andadded or recorded on another permanent registry. In someimplementations, at least one of the permanent registries implemented byregistry servers 111 is a public permanent registry (e.g., a publicblockchain). The public permanent registry may be configured to be partof either EOSIO mainnet, SOLANA mainnet, ETHEREUM mainnet, ETHEREUM 1.5,ETHEREUM 2.0, a derivative of ETHEREUM 2.0 that is configured to performtransactions of Ether (ETH) between accounts, or a derivative of EOSIOthat is configured to perform transactions of EOS between differentaccounts.

Elements of blockchain 117 a or another permanent registry may begrouped together in units that are referred to as blocks. For example,an individual block may include transactions involving one or moredigital articles (or digital assets) and other information. For example,an individual block may be linked to one or more other individualblocks. Individual blocks may be linked or chained together to form astructure of blocks and/or a hierarchy of blocks, such as, e.g., a chainof blocks. An individual block may include transactions involving one ormore digital articles, smart contracts, executable code, and/or otherinformation.

In some implementations, one or more permanent registries implemented byregistry servers 111 may be publicly accessible. In someimplementations, one or more permanent registries implemented byregistry servers 111 may be private and/or permissioned. In someimplementations, one or more permanent registries implemented byregistry servers 111 may be append-only. In some implementations,existing blocks of one or more permanent registries implemented byregistry servers 111 can substantially not be altered or deleted, unlessmultiple copies are altered. This is unlikely to happen provided thatthe multiple copies are stored on different computing platforms, e.g.,in different geographical locations. Permanent registries may bereplicated on multiple computing platforms, preferably in multipledifferent geographical locations. Additionally, individual blocks may belinked together in a manner that prevents tampering, such as, e.g.,using a hash chain and/or digital signatures. In particular, hash valuesmay be generated using fixed-output-length one-way hashing functionsthat take variable-length input, and may be effectively impossible (or,at least, computationally infeasible) to reverse. As such, a hashingfunction may provide one-way encryption. By way of non-limiting example,the hashing function may be SHA-2 (e.g., SHA-256), BLAKE2, SHA-3 (e.g.,SHAKE256), and/or another hashing function. Contents of individualblocks, transactions, and/or articles may be digitally signed in amanner that proves integrity and/or prevents tampering, e.g., byproviding authentication, as well as non-repudiation.

As depicted in FIG. 1, registry server 111 a may include one or more ofelectronic storage 130 b, processor(s) 132 b, machine-readableinstructions 106 b, (node of) blockchain 117 a, and/or other components.Machine-readable instructions 106 b may include one or more instructioncomponents. The instruction components may include computer programcomponents. The instruction components may include one or more of atransaction component 134, a receipt component 136, and/or otherinstruction components. In some implementations, an individual registryserver may be dedicated to a particular node of a permanent registry.Typically, different nodes are included in (or implemented by, or hostedby) different servers or different computer systems to increase thesafety and security of transactions on a blockchain. The consensusprotocol used for a particular blockchain will be harder to falsify orcircumvent when the different nodes are in different geographicallocations, on different types of computing platforms, and/or otherwisedistributed and diverse. As depicted in FIG. 1, blockchain 117 a mayinclude a unique digital article 15 (by way of non-limiting example,unique digital article 15 may correspond to access to distributions ofbenefits produced by a particular virtual territory, and ownership ofunique digital article 15 may have been recorded on blockchain 117 a,e.g., as being obtained by a set of players in exchange for an amount offungible digital articles). Registry server 111 b may include similarcomponents as registry server 111 a, including but not limited toblockchain 117 b and/or other components.

Server(s) 102 may be configured to communicate with one or more clientcomputing platforms 104 according to a client/server architecture and/orother architectures. Client computing platform(s) 104 may be configuredto communicate with other client computing platforms via server(s) 102and/or according to a peer-to-peer architecture and/or otherarchitectures. Players may access system 100 via client computingplatform(s) 104. In some implementations, system 100 and/or registryserver(s) 111 may be configured to communicate with one or more ofonline gaming platform(s) 105, players 123, and/or other entities and/orcomponents, e.g., through one or more networks 13.

Server(s) 102 may include electronic storage 130, processor(s) 132,machine-readable instructions 106, and/or other components. Server(s)102 may be configured by machine-readable instructions 106.Machine-readable instructions 106 may include one or more instructioncomponents. The instruction components may include computer programcomponents. The instruction components may include one or more of a gamecomponent 108, an interaction component 110, an account component 112,an access component 114, a territory component 116, distributioncomponent 118, a recording component 120, a notification component 122,a registry-analysis component 124, a presentation component 126, aregistry component 128, a token component 140, an upgrade component 142,a staking component 144, and/or other instruction components.Processor(s) 132 a and processor(s) 132 b may be similar to processor(s)132 as described elsewhere in this disclosure, though included inadministration servers 115 and registry servers 111, respectively, asdepicted in FIG. 1. Machine-readable instructions 106 a andmachine-readable instructions 106 b may be similar to machine-readableinstructions 106 as described elsewhere in this disclosure, thoughincluded in administration servers 115 and registry servers 111,respectively, as depicted in FIG. 1.

Game component 108 is configured to execute, via online gaming platform105, one or more instances of one or more games. An instance of a gamemay facilitate presentation of the game to players 123. For example, theinstance of the game may be an online game executed with online gamingplatform 105. Game component 108 may be configured to implement in-gameactions in the instance of the game, e.g., in response to in-game actioninstructions for the in-game actions by the players. In someimplementations, game component 108 may be arranged, organized, and/orotherwise included in online gaming platform 105. As used herein, theterm “game” may refer to one or more games within online gaming platform105. In some implementations, the game may be provided via a virtualspace, and may include a plurality of resource types and/or maps.

The presentation of the game may be based on the views of the game thatare determined during execution of the game, e.g., as based oninstructions and/or other input from players. In some implementations,the view may be communicated (e.g., by streaming, via object/positiondata, and/or other information) from online gaming platform 105,registry server(s) 111, and/or other sources to client computingplatforms 104 for presentation to players 123. The view determined andtransmitted to a given client computing platform 104 may correspond to alocation in the virtual space (e.g., the location from which the view istaken, the location the view depicts, and/or other locations), a zoomratio, a dimensionality of objects, a point-of-view, and/or viewparameters. In some implementations, one or more view parameters may beselectable by player 123.

The instance of the game may include a simulated space that isaccessible by players 123 by clients (e.g., client computing platforms104) that present the views of the virtual space to a player. Thesimulated space may have a topography, express ongoing real-timeinteraction by one or more players 123, and/or include one or moreobjects positioned within the topography that are capable of locomotionand/or movement within the topography. The topography may includevirtual territories, including but not limited to benefit-producingvirtual territories. In some implementations, the topography may be a2-dimensional topography. In some implementations, the topography may bea 3-dimensional topography. The topography may include dimensions of thesimulated space, and/or surface features of a surface or objects thatare native to the simulated space. In some implementations, thetopography may include a surface (e.g., a ground surface) that runsthrough at least a substantial section of the simulated space. In someimplementations, the topography may describe a volume with one or morebodies positioned therein. The instance executed by the computercomponents may be synchronous, asynchronous, and/or semi-synchronous.

Within the instance of the game, players 123 may control characters,objects, simulated physical phenomena, and/or other elements within thevirtual space to interact with the virtual space and/or each other. Thecharacters may include avatars. As used herein, the term “character” or“player character” may refer to an object or group of objects present inthe virtual space, that correspond(s) to an individual player. Aparticular player character may be controlled by the particular playerwith which it is associated. Such player characters may be referred toas player-controlled characters. Player-controlled element(s) may movethrough and interact with the virtual space (e.g., non-player charactersin the virtual space, other objects in the virtual space, otherplayer-controlled elements, etc.). In some implementations,player-controlled characters may be capable of locomotion within thetopography of the simulated space that is included in the instance ofthe game. In some implementations, the topography may include one ormore restricted areas that are only accessible under certain conditions.In some implementations, player-controlled elements controlled by and/orassociated with a given player may be created and/or customized by thegiven player. Individual players 123 and/or player accounts may own orcontrol an inventory of virtual goods and currencies (e.g., resources ofa plurality of resource types) that the individual player can use (e.g.,by manipulation of a player character and/or other player-controlledelements) and/or other items, to perform in-game actions within thevirtual space. By way of non-limiting illustration, players 123 mayinclude the first player, the second player, and/or other players thatinteract with online gaming platform 105. For example, the first playerand the second player may control different digital articles in a gamehosted by online gaming platform 105. In some implementations, accountinventories may be managed (at least in part) using blockchain 117 a.For example, ownership rights (and/or other types of rights) ofindividual virtual items included in an individual account inventory maybe recorded on blockchain 117 a. In some implementations, at least someindividual virtual items (also referred to as correlated entities) maycorrelate to individual unique digital articles (that may be tracked byregistry servers 111). In some implementations, individual accountinventories may correspond to individual smart contracts stored onblockchain 117 a.

Players may be classified as belonging to, being part of, or having oneor more player types. For example, in some cases, the different playertypes include a first player type and a second player type. In othercases, the different player types include a first player type, a secondplayer type, and a third player type. In some implementations, thedifferent player types may be mutually exclusive, so an individualplayer can only have one player type at a given moment. Individualplayer types may correspond to different sets of utilities within onlinegaming platform 105. For example, the first player type may provideaccess to a first set of utilities, the second player type may provideaccess to a second set of utilities, and so forth. In some cases, thedifferent player types are hierarchical, such that a player of thesecond player type has access to all utilities that correspond to thefirst player type (i.e., the first set of utilities), as well as anadditional set of utilities (e.g., the second set of utilities) thatplayers of the first player type do not have access to. Individualplayers may upgrade their player type (e.g., from the first player typeto the second player type), as described elsewhere in this disclosure.In some implementations, individual players of the first player type mayhave access to the first set of utilities without requiring staking orother consideration from the individual players. In other words, thefirst player type may be free to play.

Interaction component 110 may be configured to enable, facilitate,implement, and/or otherwise perform (in-game) actions by players 123 ininstances of games. In some implementations, interaction component 110may be configured to operate in response to instructions by players 123.Interaction component 110 may be configured to receive instructions fromplayers 123, e.g., in-game action instructions to perform in-gameactions in the instance of the game. For example, interaction component110 may receive a first in-game action instruction from the first playerto perform a first in-game action that falls within the first set ofutilities (e.g., in exchange for a particular amount of a particularcurrency, such as the token currency). For example, interactioncomponent 110 may receive a second in-game action instruction from thesecond player to perform a second in-game action that falls within thesecond set (or additional set) of utilities (e.g., in exchange for aparticular amount of a particular digital article, or in exchange for acombination of multiple different digital articles), and so forth. Forexample, interaction component 110 may receive an upgrade instructionfrom the first player to upgrade from the first player type to thesecond player type (e.g., in exchange for staking a combination of aparticular amount of a first type of digital article and a second typeof digital article, either for at least a particular duration, orindefinitely). By way of non-limiting example, in-game actions mayinclude one or more of performing a move, a dance, a movement, and/oranother action within the game, accessing a level or area within thegame, using a particular item, weapon, or another resource within thegame, participating in a particular game mode (e.g., a Battle Royalemode), joining a particular mission or team, engaging in a particulartype of exchange and/or challenge between players, and/or other in-gameactions. For example, one or more players may interact within onlinegaming platform 105 to build, create, gather, find, combine, and/orotherwise generate content (i.e., player-generated content). In someimplementations, a player having the appropriate player type (e.g.,premium) may request access to a particular type or section of a storeand/or marketplace within online gaming platform 105.

In some implementations, operations may be accomplished by interactioncomponent 110 through user interfaces 125. In particular, operationspertaining to a particular player may be accomplished or controlled orinitiated through a particular user interface 125 of a particular clientcomputing platform 104, where the particular client computing platform104 is associated with the particular player. In other words, theparticular player may interact with an instance of a game throughinteraction component 110 and/or the particular user interface 125. Insome implementations, operations by interaction component 110 may belimited, restricted, and/or otherwise controlled by other components ofsystem 100. In some implementations, interaction component 110 mayrequire acceptance from particular players. For example, an acceptancemay be required to accept a particular offer to partake in an activityor agreement. In some implementations, interaction component 110 may beconfigured to receive indications of acceptances and/or other agreementsfrom players.

In some implementations, interaction component 110 may be configured tofacilitate interaction of players 123 with system 100. In someimplementations, interaction component 110 may be configured tofacilitate interaction by players 123 through user interfaces 125. Forexample, a particular player may be associated with a particular clientcomputing platform 104, which may include a particular user interface125. In other words, an individual player interface 125 may beplayer-specific and/or specific to a particular client computingplatform 104. In some implementations, interaction component 110 mayfacilitate entry and/or selection through (presentation of) one or moreuser interfaces 125 (such as, by way of non-limiting example, any of theinterfaces described in this disclosure).

Token component 140 may be configured to facilitate usage of one or moredigital articles or currencies (e.g., a first digital article—which maybe fungible—or a second digital article—which may be unique,non-fungible, etc.) within online gaming platform 105. In someimplementations, token component 140 may manage, facilitate, and/orotherwise control the use of one or more types of different digitalarticles and/or currencies. A particular combination of differentdigital articles may be exchangeable and/or otherwise usable byindividual players to upgrade from a first player type to a secondplayer type. For example, a player may upgrade his player type inexchange for staking a combination of a particular amount of a firsttype of digital article and a second type of digital article. If thesecond type of digital article is fungible, upgrading may require asecond particular amount of the second type of digital article, inaddition to the particular amount of the first type of digital article.If the second type of digital article is non-fungible, upgrading mayrequire a particular type of non-fungible digital article (e.g., one ofa set of Blankos™, such as a Billy Bones Blanko™), in addition to theparticular amount of the first type of digital article. Otherrequirements and/or characteristics for a non-fungible digital articlebeing used as the second type of digital article in a combination thatis exchanged for upgrading are considered within the scope of thisdisclosure. By way of non-limiting example, these requirements and/orcharacteristics may be based on rarity, (estimated) value, purchasevalue, age, provenance, identification number, in-game features orskills, and/or other requirements and/or characteristics.

In some implementations, the first type of digital article may beexchangeable by players of the first player type for at least some ofthe first set of utilities. For example, a first amount of the firsttype of digital article may be exchanged for a particular in-game item,a second amount of the first type of digital article may be exchangedfor a particular in-game service, a third amount of the first type ofdigital article may be exchanged for access to particular in-gamecontent (that was previously restricted and not accessible to thisparticular player of the first player type). The first type of digitalarticle may have many different uses. In some implementations, tokencomponent 140 may control supply and/or demand of one or more differenttypes of digital articles. For example, in cases where the digitalarticle is a fungible digital article that is tradeable on a permanentregistry (e.g., blockchain 117 a), token component 140 may issue, mint,destroy, burn, and/or otherwise modify the amount of this digitalarticle in circulation.

In some implementations, token component 140 may set and/or otherwisemodify one or more exchange rates between different digital articlesand/or currencies. In some implementations, token component 140 may setand/or otherwise modify prices for purchasing particular amounts of theparticular digital article. In some implementations, the particulardigital article may be based on the ERC-20 standard (or an equivalentstandard for non-Ethereum-based blockchains). In some implementations,the particular digital article may be based on a standard that is asuperset of the ERC-20 standard (e.g., ERC-223 or another superset of anequivalent standard for non-Ethereum-based blockchains) that provides atleast the same functions and/or methods as that standard. In someimplementations, a particular currency may be implemented by theparticular digital article. In some implementations, the particulardigital article may operate as a currency within online gaming platform105.

Upgrade component 142 may be configured to facilitate usage of one ormore different types of digital articles or currencies (e.g., this mayinclude the second currency or subscription currency) within onlinegaming platform 105. In some implementations, upgrade component 142 maymanage, facilitate, and/or otherwise control the use of the one or moredifferent types of digital articles or currencies (includingcombinations of different types of digital articles). In someimplementations, the second currency may be usable and/or exchangeableby players of the first player type to upgrade to the second playertype. For example, upgrading to the second player type may unlock asecond set (or additional set) of utilities within online gamingplatform 105. For example, a combination of a particular amount of afirst currency and at some other type of a second currency (or a secondtype of digital article, e.g., a unique digital article of a particulartype) may be exchanged and/or staked to upgrade a particular player tothe second player type, either permanently or temporarily. In somecases, upgrading may be temporary for a predetermined duration (e.g., aweek, a month, a quarter, a year, etc.). In some cases, the upgradingmay be maintained beyond the predetermination duration in exchange forstaking an additional consideration (e.g., at regular intervals). Insome implementations, the additional consideration may include at leastone of an additional amount of a currency within online gaming platform105 and an additional amount of the first type of digital article. Insome implementations, the additional consideration may include anadditional item of the second type of digital article. In someimplementations, the additional consideration may include an additionalcombination of both an additional amount of the first digital articleand an additional item of the second type of digital article. In someimplementations, the additional consideration to maintain the secondplayer type may be modified between subsequent ones of the regularintervals (e.g., the additional consideration may go up over time). Insome cases, upgrading to the second player type may besubscription-based, for example on a monthly basis. In someimplementations, players may pay and/or stake a certain combination oramount (e.g., including at least one type of digital article that istradeable on a permanent registry) for a predetermined duration or on amonthly basis to maintain their second player type. In some cases, aspecific digital article may have few or no other uses. Note thatcertain additional utilities available to players of the second playertype may have an associated cost of particular (first) currency tokens.

In some implementations, upgrade component 142 may control supply and/ordemand of one or more digital articles and/or currencies. For example,in cases where the second currency is a fungible digital article that istradeable on a permanent registry (e.g., blockchain 117 a), upgradecomponent 142 may issue, mint, destroy, burn, and/or otherwise modifythe amount of second currency in circulation. In some implementations,upgrade component 142 may control, set, and/or otherwise modify anexchange rate between digital articles and/or currencies. For example,in some implementations, modification of the exchange rate between thefirst currency and the second currency may be based on a change in arate for trading the first currency on one or more permanent registries(e.g., blockchain 117 a). By way of non-limiting example, assume that anamount of 1000 first currency tokens costs $10, that 100 first currencytokens can be exchanged for 1 second currency token, and that a monthlysubscription to maintain the second player type costs 10 second currencytokens. In effect, the monthly subscription would cost the equivalent of$10. However, assume that over time, first currency tokens gain in valueand trade between blockchain users for an equivalent of $100 per 1000first currency tokens. At this time, the monthly subscription would costthe equivalent of $100, until and unless upgrade component 142 is usedto modify the exchange rate between the first currency and the secondcurrency. Similarly, responsive to first currency tokens reducing invalue and trading between blockchain users for an equivalent of $1 per1000 first currency tokens, the monthly subscription would cost theequivalent of $1, until and unless upgrade component 142 modifies theexchange rate between the first currency and the second currency.

In some implementations, modifications of the exchange rate may beinitiated by one or more stakeholders of online gaming platform 105. Inother implementations, modifications of the exchange rate may beinitiated automatically, for example once a quarter, once a year, and/orat other regular intervals or upon predetermined triggers occurring. Insome implementations, upgrading from the first player type to the secondplayer type may be temporary for a predetermined duration. For example,the upgrading may be (automatically) reverted from the second playertype to the first player type after the predetermined duration. Thepredetermined duration may be a week, a month, 90 days, and/or anotherduration. In some implementations, upgrade component 142 may beconfigured to upgrade individual players from one player type to anotherplayer type (e.g., from the first player type to the second playertype). Upgrading players in accordance with received upgradeinstructions may be performed subsequent to operations by interactioncomponent 110 and/or other components of system 100.

Staking component 144 may be configured to stake and/or unstake (orun-stake) digital articles and/or currencies as requested or instructedby players and/or system 100 (e.g., automatically, as controlled by theexpiration of predetermined durations for upgrading player type, and/oras controlled by blockchain-based smart contracts, etc.). For example,staking component 144 may stake a first amount of a first digitalarticle (that is tradeable on a permanent registry, e.g., blockchain 117a) based on an upgrade instruction by an individual player (e.g.,responsive to operations by interaction component 110 and/or upgradecomponent 142). In some implementations, staking component 144 may stakea second amount of a second digital article (that is tradeable onblockchain 117 a) based on the same upgrade instruction by the sameindividual player. Blockchain 117 a may use a consensus mechanism basedon proof-of-stake (POS) or distributed-proof-of-stake (DPOS). Staking aparticular amount of a particular digital article may reduce a totalcirculating supply of the particular digital article. Staked ones of theparticular digital article may be used within the permanent registry toincentivize achieving certain goals, including but not limited tovalidating transactions on blockchain 117 a, producing a new block onblockchain 117 a, validating a new block on blockchain 117 a, accessingexclusive features of blockchain 117 a, and/or other goals/activities onblockchain 117 a. A common incentive for staking is to receive a reward(typically, of the same particular digital article) based on the amountof digital article that is staked, and based on the duration of staking,such that the reward is similar to interest. In some implementations,rewards may only be available provided that the staked amount exceedssome threshold amount. In some implementations, rewards may only beavailable provided that the staked amount is staked for at least apredetermined minimum duration. In some implementations, the upgradingmay be the reward. In some implementations, direct staking may beimplemented based on depositing an amount of the particular digitalarticle (also referred to as token) into a staking contract. Stakeddigital articles may be unavailable for other transactions for apredetermined duration, or until unstaked. In some implementations,staked digital articles may be forced out of circulation. In someimplementations, indirect staking may be implemented based on holding anamount of the particular digital article in an individual wallet or inan account associated with an exchange service (e.g., a player-specificwallet, or a player-specific account at an exchange). In someimplementations, upgrading from a first player type to a second playertype may be maintained beyond a predetermined duration in exchange forstaking an additional amount of the particular digital article atregular intervals, such as every month, every quarter, every year, etc.Alternatively, individual players could maintain their upgraded playertype for as long as at least a minimum amount of (a particular type of)digital articles is staked. In some implementations, the additionalamount of the particular digital article may be modified betweensubsequent ones of the regular intervals. For example, the requiredadditional amount may go up or down over time.

In some implementations, an individual player may instruct system 100 torevert the player type back to the first player type (in other words, toend the premium status). Staking component 144 may be configured tounstake any of the particular digital article for this individual playerin response. In some cases, the effect of staking may change, e.g., frommaintaining the upgraded player type to earning a reward and/orinterest. In other implementations, the act of unstaking the particulardigital article may in response cause system 100 to revert the playertype back to the first player type (in other words, to end the premiumstatus).

Account component 112 is configured to control, manage, and/or otherwiseadminister player accounts. Player accounts may be associated withplayers 123. Player accounts may include and/or be associated withaccount inventories of virtual items. For example, the player accountsmay include a first player account associated with a first player, asecond player account associated with a second player, and so forth. Forexample, the first player account may include a first account inventoryof one or more virtual items (and/or currencies), the second playeraccount may include a second account inventory of one or more virtualitems (and/or currencies), and so forth. Individual players may controlone or more virtual items in their individual account inventories. Insome implementations, the first account inventory includes one or moreunique digital articles (e.g., a first unique digital article, otherunique digital articles, etc.). In some implementations, the secondaccount inventory includes one or more unique digital articles (e.g., asecond unique digital article, other unique digital articles, etc.). Thefirst unique digital article may be correlated with a first in-gameplayer-controllable character configured to be used (e.g., played with)in the instance of the game. The second unique digital article may becorrelated with a second in-game player-controllable characterconfigured to be used (e.g., played with) in the instance of the game,and so forth. In some implementations, a particular player account maybe associated with a set of multiple players. For example, a group ofplayers may share the particular (group) player account.

Access component 114 may be configured to receive instructions from oneor more players 123. For example, individual instructions may be toobtain access to distributions associated with individual virtualterritories. For example, individual distributions may include one ormore benefits. In some implementations, the one or more benefits mayinclude in-game benefits. In some implementations, the one or morebenefits may include in-game benefits produced in and/or by particularvirtual territories. For example, in-game benefits may include benefitsthat are available by virtue of ownership and/or control of virtualterritories. Assume access component 114 received a particularinstruction from a particular set of players 123 to obtain access to thedistributions associated with a particular virtual territory. Responsiveto receiving this particular instruction, access component 114 may beconfigured to exchange this access to the distributions associated withthis particular virtual territory to this particular set of players 123.In some implementations, this kind of exchange may be for fungibledigital articles, e.g., a particular amount of fungible digitalarticles, to be provided by the particular set of players 123. In someimplementations, this kind of exchange may reduce the supply of fungibledigital articles by some amount (up to the particular amount of fungibledigital articles). For example, in some implementations, these fungibledigital articles may be implemented as fungible tokens on a permanentregistry such as blockchain 117 a (and may be tradeable on thispermanent registry, or even on any permanent registry). This kind ofexchange may effectuate burning or otherwise destroying (a fraction of)the particular amount of these fungible tokens. This reduction in supplymay increase the value of the remaining fungible tokens, especially ifthese types of tokens are the only tokens that can be used to obtainaccess to the distributions associated with virtual territories.

In some implementations, responsive to receiving a particularinstruction, access component 114 may be configured to perform one ormore verifications prior to exchanging a particular access to aparticular set of players 123. By way of non-limiting example, one ofthese verifications may verify that a particular player or group ofplayers can provide or have provided the required amount of fungibledigital articles. By way of non-limiting example, these verificationsmay verify other conditions, limitations, and/or restrictions placed onthese exchanges by the (economic) mechanics of the particular game. Insome implementations, distributions may occur at regular intervals or atpredetermined moments. For example, assume a particular set of playersobtained access to the distributions of a particular farm in the game.Provided that this particular set of players continues to control thisfarm, a distribution of certain in-game benefits may be provided to theparticular set of players every week, or month, or quarter, or otherscheduled period. In the event this particular set of players losescontrol of the farm to another set of players, and this other set ofplayers obtains access to these distributions (e.g., in exchange for acertain amount of fungible digital articles), these certain in-gamebenefits may be provided to this other set of players every week, ormonth, or quarter, or other scheduled period. System 100 and/or onlinegaming platform 105 may assert some control over the in-game economy byadjusting the in-game benefits over time and/or by adjusting therequired amount of fungible digital articles). In some implementations,the particular amount of fungible digital articles required forexchanging the particular access to the distributions associated with aparticular virtual territory in the game change according to a monotonicfunction over time. In some cases, this function may be monotonicallyincreasing. In some cases, this function may be monotonicallydecreasing.

Territory component 116 may be configured to determine whetherparticular set of players control particular virtual territories. Forexample, operations of other components of system 100 may be based on(e.g., responsive to) determinations by territory component 116.Determinations by territory component 116 may depend on the particulargame within online gaming platform 105. In some implementations, a setof players may demonstrate and/or maintain control by occupying aparticular area or location, e.g., within the center of a particularvirtual territory. For example, occupying headquarters may beimplemented in different ways, including but not limited to having atleast a predetermined minimum number of players present simultaneouslywithin a particular area such as these headquarters. For example,occupying headquarters may be implemented by having at least apredetermined percentage of the individual players in a particular setof players present simultaneously within a particular area such as theseheadquarters. For example, occupying headquarters may be implemented byhaving a majority of the players that are present simultaneously withina particular area such as these headquarters be part of a particular setof players. In some implementations, a set of players may demonstrateand/or maintain control by owning and/or holding a particular virtualitem in their possession, or their account inventories. For example,control over an area may be symbolically linked to possession of aparticular flag or banner. The specific way that a determination ofcontrol is made may depend not only on each game, but also on the typeof virtual territory involved. For example, control over a farm may beestablished in a different manner than control over a trading hub ormarketplace.

Distribution component 118 may be configured to determine whether toprovide distributions, e.g., in accordance with access to individualparticular distributions. In some implementations, a distribution mayinclude a set of one or more (in-game) benefits. In someimplementations, distribution component 118 may be configured to providea distribution to a particular set of players. In some implementations,for a particular virtual territory, determinations by distributioncomponent 118 may include verifications, including but not limited to averification whether a particular set of players controls (or continuesto control) the particular virtual territory. In some implementations,the verifications include a verification whether the particular set ofplayers has access to the distributions for the particular virtualterritory (e.g., owns this particular access, which may be verifiedthrough information recorded on a permanent registry such as blockchain117 a). In some implementations, distribution component 118 may beconfigured to decline to provide a distribution, e.g., because aparticular set of players no longer controls a particular virtualterritory, or no longer owns the access to the particular distributionfor the particular virtual territory. In some implementations, aparticular distribution may include a portion of the particular amountof fungible digital articles used to obtain the access to the particulardistribution. For example, a particular set of players may exchange someamount of fungible digital articles (say, 100 tokens) to obtain accessto the distributions of a particular virtual territory. Each week, forfifty weeks, the distribution of in-game benefits to the particular setof players includes, among other in-game virtual items, 1 of thesetokens, such that at the end of fifty weeks, fifty tokens have beenreturned to the particular set of players. In such a case, the exchangeof fungible digital articles is a two-way exchange (until and unless theparticular set of players loses control over the particular virtualterritory). In this example, the other fifty tokens are not returned,and may have been taken out of circulation, thereby reducing the supplyof tokens (i.e., fungible digital articles) in this game, or rather insystem 100. In other examples, the entirety of the particular amount offungible digital articles used to obtain the access to the particulardistribution may be returned to the particular set of players over somepredetermined amount of time.

In some implementations, distribution component 118 may be configured todistribute and/or otherwise provide one or more of information,benefits, access to in-game content, access to game-specificcommunication channels, certificates, rewards, awards, prizes,distribution gains, and/or virtual items to players 123. In someimplementations, distributions may be based on and/or responsive toactions by other components of system 100, including but not limited toregistry server 111, a particular permanent registry, and/orregistry-analysis component 124. For example, online gaming platform 105may determine a particular player is eligible to receive one or morerewards or awards. Distribution component 118 may distribute the one ormore rewards or awards in accordance with the determined eligibility.For example, a reward may be a participation reward. For example, anaward may be an attendance award. For example, a certificate may be acertificate of completion or accomplishment, which may be specific toactions within the instance of the game. For example, a prize may be foreffort, time, and/or resources spent, specifically in the instance ofthe game. For example, particular unique digital articles may beassociated with distribution rights, and the particular player who ownsthose distribution rights may receive a distribution in accordance withthose distribution rights. In some implementations, the in-game benefitsfor a particular virtual territory may change per distribution (e.g.,gradually go up, or be tied to some market indicator).

Recording component 120 is configured to record information, assets,transactions, and/or digital articles on permanent registries, includingbut not limited to virtual territories and access to distributionsrelated to virtual territories. In some implementations, the informationmay include executable code, such as, e.g., smart contracts. In someimplementations, recording component 120 may record and/or modify rightspertaining to articles. In some implementations, recording component 120may be configured to receive (recordation) instructions to perform arecordation (e.g., of a unique digital article or a smart contract on apermanent registry). For example, recording component 120 may receive,from a first player, a recordation instruction to record and/or modifyrights pertaining to a first unique digital article on a first permanentregistry (such as, e.g., blockchain 117 a). In some implementations,recording component 120 may receive such instructions from online gamingplatform 105 and/or other components of system 100. For example, aparticular instruction to record (rights pertaining to) a particularunique digital article may correspond to the issuance and/or creation ofthat particular unique digital article. When a unique digital article orother digital article is issued and/or created, recording component 120may record its ownership on a particular permanent registry. In someimplementations, a particular instruction to modify rights pertaining toa particular unique digital article may correspond to an exchange ofthat particular unique digital article (e.g., between two players, orbetween two sets of players).

In some implementations, recording component 120 may be configured torecord executable code on a particular permanent registry, such as,e.g., blockchain 117 a. In some implementations, particular executablecode may be a particular smart contract. The particular smart contractmay interact with other components of system 100, including but notlimited to online gaming platform 105. A particular smart contract maybe configured to perform one or more evaluations based on receivedinformation. In some implementations, the one or more evaluations mayevaluate whether to provide distributions to groups of players. In someimplementations, access to distributions may be implemented as a smartcontract, and owned by one or more players.

Notification component 122 may be configured to notify players. Forexample, notification component 122 may notify players 123 in responseto events, distributions, in-game action instructions, and/or otheractivities in system 100. In some implementations, a player may benotified responsive to a change of the player type of the player. Insome implementations, a player may be notified responsive to an in-gameaction (as instructed through an in-game action instruction) not beingpermitted or not being performed. For example, a set of players may benotified when and why a distribution is declined (by distributioncomponent 118). In some implementations, actions by notificationcomponent 122 may be performed responsive to particular actions,results, determinations, and/or decisions from other components ofsystem 100, including but not limited to distribution component 118and/or registry-analysis component 124. For example, notificationcomponent 122 may respond to a particular in-game action instruction (bya particular player, and pertaining to a particular unique digitalarticle) with a particular response such that, responsive to aparticular determination, the particular response notifies theparticular player accordingly.

Registry-analysis component 124 may be configured to determine whetherone or more unique digital articles are recorded (on a particularpermanent registry) as being owned by a particular player and/oraccount. For example, registry-analysis component 124 may determinewhether a particular virtual territory is currently recorded on aprivate permissioned permanent registry as being owned by a particularset of players. Alternatively, and/or simultaneously, registry-analysiscomponent 124 may determine whether access to the distributions for theparticular virtual territory is currently recorded as being owned by theparticular set of players. In some implementations, registry-analysiscomponent 124 may be configured to analyze recordations and othertransactions on one or more permanent registries, e.g., by retrievingrecorded information from the one or more permanent registries andanalyzing whether any of the recorded transactions pertain to aparticular article (e.g., a virtual territory). In some implementations,determinations by registry-analysis component 124 may be performedresponsive to particular actions or results from other components ofsystem 100. In some implementations, actions by other components ofsystem 100, including but not limited to distribution component 118, maybe responsive to determinations by registry-analysis component 124. Insome implementations, determinations by registry-analysis component 124may occur in real-time or near-real-time as needed for a particularin-game action instruction. In some implementations, determinations byregistry-analysis component 124 may occur as needed when rightspertaining to (unique) digital articles are modified, and results ofsuch determinations are stored for later use by, e.g., online gamingplatform 105, e.g., to be used when responding to a future in-gameaction instruction.

Presentation component 126 may be configured to present interfaces(e.g., user interfaces 125) to players, e.g., through client computingplatforms 104 associated with the respective players. In someimplementations, presentation component 126 may be configured toeffectuate presentations of interfaces to players 123. In someimplementations, presentations by presentation component 126 may beperformed jointly (or at least in some cooperative manner) with one orboth of game component 108 and/or interaction component 110. In someimplementations, presentation component 126 may present offers (e.g.,for exchanges with other players) to particular players.

Registry component 128 may be configured to generate sets ofinstructions for registry servers 111 (e.g., registry server 111 a)and/or one or more permanent registries (e.g., blockchain 117 a). Insome implementations, registry component 128 may be configured totransfer the generated sets of instructions to registry servers 111and/or one or more permanent registries. In some implementations, one ormore of these instructions may instruct the formation of a smartcontract and/or the recording of the smart contract on the one or morepermanent registries (e.g., blockchain 117 a). In some implementations,one or more of these instructions may call and/or otherwise invoke amethod or function of a smart contract on the one or more permanentregistries (e.g., blockchain 117 a). In some implementations, theseinstructions may instruct registry servers 111 to record and/or modifyunique digital articles, transactions, and/or rights on one or morepermanent registries, or to analyze ownership as recorded on the one ormore permanent registries. In some implementations, these instructionsmay instruct registry servers 111 to record and/or modify sets of usageinformation (e.g., ownership rights) pertaining to unique digitalarticles. For example, registry component 128 may transfer a particularset of instructions that, upon execution by blockchain 117 a, issues anew unique digital article to a particular player or particular account(i.e., record the rights and/or other usage information pertaining tothe new unique digital article, including it being owned by theparticular player or the particular account). Individual unique digitalarticles may be associated with individual sets of usage information,including but not limited to ownership rights. For example, registrycomponent 128 may transfer a particular set of instructions that, uponexecution by blockchain 117 a and blockchain 117 b, remove a particularunique digital article from blockchain 117 a and add the particularunique digital article to blockchain 117 b. For example, registrycomponent 128 may transfer a particular set of instructions that, uponexecution by blockchain 117 a and blockchain 117 b, analyze whether aparticular player or set of players owns one or more particular uniquedigital articles.

Receipt component 136 may be configured to receive (sets of)instructions to add, modify, analyze, and/or remove recorded information(e.g., rights) in blockchain 117 a. For example, receipt component 136may receive one or more sets of instructions from registry component128, online gaming platform 105, and/or other components of system 100.Receipt component 136 may provide received sets of instructions torecord component 134 for execution. In some implementations, executionof individual ones of the instructions received may include invoking oneor more function calls of an Application Programming Interface (API)107. For example, API 107 may be configured to provide interactivecommunication between blockchain 117 a and other components of system100. For example, in some implementations, API 107 may support methodsor functions that are implemented as function calls to smart contractsstored on blockchain 117 a. For example, in some implementations, API107 may support methods or functions that analyze whether a particularplayer owns one or more particular unique digital articles, one or moreparticular types of unique digital articles, and/or a particularcollection of multiple unique digital articles. In some implementations,receipt component 136 may be arranged, organized, and/or otherwiseincluded in registry server 111 and/or blockchain 117 a.

Transaction component 134 may be configured to record information,including but not limited to (ownership) rights pertaining to digitalarticles, e.g., on one or more permanent registries, such as blockchain117 a. In some implementations, transaction component 134 may recordinformation on electronic storage 130 b. In some implementations,transaction component 134 may record information on blockchain 117 a.The information may include ownership rights, distribution rights, otherrights, and/or other information. For example, particular recordedinformation may reflect rights pertaining to a particular digitalarticle by a particular player or group of players. For example, aparticular unique digital article may represent a three-dimensionalin-game player-controllable item or character that can interact withother virtual items within online gaming platform 105. For example, aparticular unique digital article may represent a virtual territorywithin online gaming platform 105. Recorded information may be specificto a digital article (i.e., article-specific). For example, distributionrights for a particular digital article may designate rights to certaindistributions of benefits upon a specifically defined in-game action(e.g., an exchange between players) involving the particular digitalarticle.

In some implementations, transaction component 134 may be configured torecord information in blockchain 117 a. In some implementations,transaction component 134 may add, modify, analyze, and/or removerecorded information. For example, in accordance with receivedinstructions from receipt component 136, transaction component 134 maytransfer rights pertaining to a particular digital article from a firstowner to a second owner (e.g., from an original owner to a new owner, orfrom a loser of a challenge to a winner of the challenge) such that therecorded information on blockchain 117 a no longer reflect the rightspertaining to the particular digital article by the first player. Insome implementations, in accordance with received instructions,transaction component 134 may transfer rights pertaining to a particulardigital article temporarily, e.g., from a first owner to a temporarysecond owner such as a smart contract. In some case, a temporary ownermay be a holding account that is merely used until ownership istransferred to either the original owner or a new owner. As used herein,the term “temporary” (and derivatives thereof) refers to a transfer orto ownership that is either known to be changed and/or modified within apredetermined period, or expected to be changed and/or modified within apredetermined period. Conversely, a non-temporary transfer from a firstowner to a second owner (due to a particular exchange) can conceivablybe changed and/or reverted (back from the second owner to the firstowner) due to a separate and new exchange that is independent of thefirst particular exchange. In some implementations, in accordance withreceived instructions, transaction component 134 may transfer rightspertaining to a particular digital article non-temporarily from a firstowner to a second owner, e.g., when a particular exchange is notreversible or no longer reversible. In some implementations, transactioncomponent 134 may be arranged, organized, and/or otherwise included inblockchain 117 a.

In some implementations, transaction component 134 may be configured toobtain article-specific information (e.g., ownership rights,distribution rights, and/or other information) for particular digitalarticles. In some implementations, transaction component 134 may beconfigured to access blockchain 117 a to obtain the article-specificinformation (that are recorded on blockchain 117 a, e.g., in one or moresmart contracts).

Input component 135 may be configured to receive user input fromadministrative users. For example, the user input may include entryand/or selection of particular information regarding any entity orobject that interacts with any part of system 100 and/or plays a part inthe operation of system 100. For example, the user input may includeentry and/or selection of a particular instruction to modify theexchange rate between the first currency and the second currency.

Communication component 137 may be configured to facilitatecommunication and/or interaction between administration server 115 andthe rest of system 100. For example, communication component 137 maycommunicate user input received from administrative users by inputcomponent 135 to other components of system 100, particularly onlinegaming platform 105.

FIG. 3A illustrates an example implementation of a user interface 300 asmay be used by system 100, in accordance with one or moreimplementations. User interface 300 may enable a particular player (say,“Alice”, not depicted) to view and/or use an account inventorycontrolled by the particular player. User interface 300 may include asection or field for account inventory 31, and/or other graphical playerinterface elements. As depicted, account inventory 31 may include a listof different virtual items and/or articles currently controlled byAlice, including virtual items 1-2-3-4-5. Account inventory 31 furtherdepicts item information regarding these virtual items, as indicated byitem information 1-2-3-4-5, which correspond to virtual items 1-2-3-4-5,respectively. Account inventory 31 as depicted may further includegraphical user interface elements such as, by way of non-limitingexample, an action button 32 (which initiates an in-game actioninstruction). Upon engagement by Alice, in-game action instructionbutton 32 may instruct “virtual item 1” to be used for a particularpurpose (e.g., through a text field or a dropdown menu, as indicated bya triangle in a box). For example, Alice may instruct in-gameinformation to be displayed about unique digital article 15 a, andunique digital article 15 a may be associated with a player-controllablein-game character that is also depicted in user interface 300. Userinterface 300 as depicted may further include graphical user interfaceelements such as, by way of non-limiting example, a notification element33 a. Alice may be part of a group of players who own and control a farmand the benefits produced by the farm. Receiving these benefits may berestricted to players of the second player type (e.g., premium players).Assuming Alice currently has the second player type, upon a newdistribution of these benefits, Alice may be notified as indicated bynotification 33 a, labeled “Attention premium players: your farmproduced goods worth 50 gold coins.” Note that if Alice's group ofplayers lost control over the farm, no such benefits would be provided.Note that if another group of players obtained access to thesedistributions, no such benefits would be provided to Alice's group ofplayers. Note that if Alice's player type was no longer the secondplayer type, these benefits may not be provided to Alice.

FIG. 3B illustrates an example implementation of a user interface 300 bas may be used by system 100, in accordance with one or moreimplementations. User interface 300 b may enable a particular player(say, “Bob”, not depicted) to view and/or use an account inventoryand/or one or more unique digital articles controlled by the particularplayer. User interface 300 b may include a section or field for accountinventory 31 b, and/or other graphical user interface elements. Asdepicted, account inventory 31 b may include a list of different virtualitems and/or articles currently controlled by Bob, including virtualitems 1-2-3-4-5. Account inventory 31 b further depicts item informationregarding these virtual items, as indicated by item information1-2-3-4-5, which correspond to virtual items 1-2-3-4-5, respectively.Account inventory 31 b as depicted may further include graphical userinterface elements such as, by way of non-limiting example, an actionbutton 32 (which initiates an in-game action instruction). Uponengagement by Bob, in-game action instruction button 32 may request“virtual item 1” to be used for a particular purpose (e.g., through atext field or a dropdown menu, as indicated by a triangle in a box). Forexample, Bob may instruct in-game information to be displayed aboutunique digital article 15 b, and unique digital article 15 b may beassociated with a player-controllable in-game character that is alsodepicted in user interface 300 b. User interface 300 b as depicted mayfurther include graphical user interface elements such as, by way ofnon-limiting example, a notification element 33 b. Bob may be part of agroup of players who own and control a farm and are periodicallyprovided with the benefits produced by the farm. Receiving thesebenefits may be restricted to players of the second player type (e.g.,premium players, or players having premium status). Assuming Bob nolonger has the second player type due to a failure to maintain theminimum amount of the particular digital article required to be stakedfor premium players, Bob may be notified, as indicated by notification33 b, labeled “Boo! You lost premium status: time to stake additionaldifferent tokens! No benefits distributed from this farm until premiumstatus is restored.” Note that if Bob's player type is restored to thesecond player type (e.g., through an upgrade instruction, and byexchanging a combination of different types of digital articles), thesebenefits may be provided again to Bob, provided this group of playersdoes not lose control of the farm.

FIG. 5A illustrate exemplary blockchain 117 c as may be used by system100, in accordance with one or more implementations. FIG. 5A illustratesa blockchain 117 c that includes a block 0, a block 1, and a block 2. Astime progresses, more blocks may be added to blockchain 117 c. Theblocks within blockchain 117 c are ordered. In block 0, one article(indicated by a capital “A”) is generated and/or assigned to player “n”(U_(n)). A second digital article, a smart contract 15 x is assigned toplayer “a” (U_(a)), and a third digital article, a smart contract 16 x,is assigned to player “a” (U_(a)), which may be an administrative user.For example, smart contract 15 x and smart contract 16 x may representaccess to distributions of a first and second particular virtualterritory, respectively. For example, the first particular virtualterritory may be a farm, and the second particular virtual territory maybe a space station that includes a trading hub. Smart contract 15 x andsmart contract 16 x may have been posted to blockchain 117 c by acomponent similar to record component 134. In some implementations,smart contract 15 x and smart contract 16 x may include or link toexecutable code for staking and/or unstaking one or more types ofdigital articles in blockchain 117 c (this code is invoked due to thetransaction in block 2).

For example, the articles in block 0 may include individual ownershiprights recorded for different types of digital articles within an onlinegaming platform, similar to or the same as online game platform 105.Block 1 is connected to block 0 (as indicated by a link 50 a), forexample by including an address of block 1 in block 0, or vice versa.Likewise, block 1 is connected to block 2, as indicated by a link 50 b.In block 1, a transaction to smart contract 15 x (indicated by “Ax”) isrecorded. Transaction Ax to smart contract 15 x may assign smartcontract 15 x to a first set of players labeled “p”, with the uniquedigital article being defined by metadata 52. Here, metadata 52 maydefine which players are included in the first set of players, as wellas particulars regarding the first particular virtual territory (here,the farm). In block 1, another transactions from player “n” to player“j”, and from player “j” to player “k” are also recorded. Assume player“j” is part of the first set of players. In block 2, severaltransactions may be recorded: a transaction from player “j” to smartcontract 15 x, and a transaction to smart contract 16 x (indicated by“Ay”) is recorded. The transaction from player “j” may stake acombination of a first amount of a first digital article and a secondamount of a second digital article, such that player “j” is upgradedfrom a first player type to a second player type. Transaction Ay tosmart contract 16 x may assign smart contract 16 x to a second set ofplayers labeled “q”, with the unique digital article being defined bymetadata 54. Here, metadata 54 may define which players are included inthe second set of players, as well as particulars regarding the secondparticular virtual territory (here, the space station and trading hub).

By way of non-limiting example, FIG. 5B illustrates a blockchain 117 dthat includes several blocks (block 3, block 4, block 5), that have beenappended to blockchain 117 c. Block 3 may be connected to block 2 (asindicated by link 50 c), block 4 may be connected to block 3 (asindicated by a link 50 d), and block 5 may be connected to block 4 (asindicated by a link 50 e). In block 3, a transaction may be recordedregarding a distribution of in-game benefits or assets, produced by theunique digital article indicated by “Ax” and defined by metadata 52, tothe first set of players “p”. Receiving these benefits may be restrictedto players of the second player type (e.g., the distribution may beprovided to the subset of the first set of players that are of thesecond player type, including player “j”, by virtue of the transactionrecorded in block 2). Block 4 includes a transaction (indicated by acapital “T”) of unique digital article “Ax” to the second set of players“q”. Additionally, block 4 includes a transaction regarding adistribution of in-game benefits or assets, produced by the uniquedigital article indicated by “Ay” and defined by metadata 54, to thesecond set of players “q”. Block 5 includes a transaction regarding adistribution of in-game benefits or assets, produced by the uniquedigital article indicated by “Ax”, to the current owners, i.e., tosecond set of players “q” (e.g., this distribution may be provided tothe subset of the second set of players that are of the second playertype). Block 5 further includes a transaction from player “j” to smartcontract 15 x. The transaction from player “j” may unstake thepreviously staked first and second amounts of the first and second typesof digital articles, such that, in this example, player “j” is revertedback from the second player type to the first player type. For example,player “j” may have decided, e.g., due to the loss of ownership ofunique digital article “Ax”, no longer to maintain the second playertype.

By way of non-limiting example, FIG. 4 depicts a view 400 of interactivegameplay in an instance of a game as may be used by system 100. The gamedepicted here takes place in space near a planet 406, with a spacestation 405 orbiting. Space station 405 is a virtual territory thatproduced in-game benefits by virtue of being a trading hub in this game(e.g., transactions performed in space station 405 may be taxed, andthese taxes may form the in-game benefits). At some point duringgameplay, a first faction of players takes control of space station 405and obtains access to distributions of the in-game benefits. This firstfaction of players may use a fleet of their ships, including a ship 403and a ship 404 to maintain control and ownership of space station 405.As long as this first faction of players maintains control,distributions of in-game benefits may continue to be provided to thefirst faction of players, e.g., at regular intervals. Receiving thesebenefits may be restricted to players of the second player type.However, as soon as a second faction of players gains control of spacestation 405, these distributions to the first faction of players willcease. Upon obtaining access to the distributions of space station 405,e.g., in exchange for a particular amount of fungible digital articles,the distributions of in-game benefits produced by space station 405 maybe provided to the second faction of players, e.g., periodically (aslong as the second faction of players maintains control of space station405, and provided that these individual players have the second playertype).

Referring to FIG. 1, user interfaces 125 may be configured to facilitateinteraction between players 123 and system 100 and/or between players123 and client computing platforms 104. For example, user interfaces 125may provide an interface through which players 123 may provideinformation to and/or receive information from system 100. In someimplementations, user interface 125 may include one or more of a displayscreen, touchscreen, monitor, a keyboard, buttons, switches, knobs,levers, mouse, microphones, sensors to capture voice commands, sensorsto capture body movement, sensors to capture hand and/or fingergestures, and/or other player interface devices configured to receiveand/or convey player input. In some implementations, one or more userinterfaces 125 may be included in one or more client computing platforms104. In some implementations, one or more user interfaces 125 may beincluded in system 100. In some implementations, user interface 125 maybe a type of interface that facilitates the exchange of virtual itemsbetween players.

Referring to FIG. 1, in some implementations, online gaming platforms105, server(s) 102, client computing platform(s) 104, administrationservers 115, registry servers 111, and/or external resources 138 may beoperatively linked via one or more electronic communication links. Forexample, such electronic communication links may be established, atleast in part, via one or more networks 13 such as the Internet and/orother networks. It will be appreciated that this is not intended to belimiting, and that the scope of this disclosure includes implementationsin which online gaming platforms 105, server(s) 102, client computingplatform(s) 104, administration servers 115, registry servers 111,and/or external resources 138 may be operatively linked via some othercommunication media.

A given client computing platform 104 may include one or more processorsconfigured to execute computer program components. The computer programcomponents may be configured to enable an expert or player associatedwith the given client computing platform 104 to interface with system100 and/or external resources 138, and/or provide other functionalityattributed herein to client computing platform(s) 104. By way ofnon-limiting example, the given client computing platform 104 mayinclude one or more of a desktop computer, a laptop computer, a handheldcomputer, a tablet computing platform, a NetBook, a Smartphone, a gamingconsole, and/or other computing platforms.

Administration server(s) 115 may include one or more of servers 102 a,processors 132 a, machine-readable instructions 106 a, electronicstorage 130 a, and/or other components. Server(s) 102 a may beconfigured by machine-readable instructions 106 a. Machine-readableinstructions 106 a may include one or more instruction components. Theinstruction components may include one or more of input component 135,communication component 137, and/or other instruction components.Administration server 115 may include communication lines, or ports toenable the exchange of information with a network and/or other computingplatforms. In some implementations, administration servers 115 may beused by one or more administrative users, e.g., to configure and/orcontrol operation of system 100. In some implementations, administrativeservers 115 may include or present one or more player interfaces toreceive player input and/or otherwise interact with one or moreadministrative users.

External resources 138 may include sources of information outside ofsystem 100, external entities participating with system 100, externalproviders of computation and/or storage services, and/or otherresources. In some implementations, some or all of the functionalityattributed herein to external resources 138 may be provided by resourcesincluded in system 100. In some implementations, one or more externalresources 138 may provide information (e.g., event information regardingevents that are occurring and/or have occurred in the real world) tocomponents of system 100. In some implementations, external resources138 may include one or more real-world information servers or blockchainoracles.

Server(s) 102 may include communication lines, or ports to enable theexchange of information with a network and/or other computing platforms.Illustration of server(s) 102 in FIG. 1 is not intended to be limiting.Server(s) 102 may include a plurality of hardware, software, and/orfirmware components operating together to provide the functionalityattributed herein to server(s) 102. For example, server(s) 102 may beimplemented by a cloud of computing platforms operating together asserver(s) 102.

Electronic storage 130 may comprise non-transitory storage media thatelectronically stores information. The electronic storage media ofelectronic storage 130 may include one or both of system storage that isprovided integrally (i.e., substantially non-removable) with server(s)102 and/or removable storage that is removably connectable to server(s)102 via, for example, a port (e.g., a USB port, a firewire port, etc.)or a drive (e.g., a disk drive, etc.). Electronic storage 130 mayinclude one or more of optically readable storage media (e.g., opticaldisks, etc.), magnetically readable storage media (e.g., magnetic tape,magnetic hard drive, floppy drive, etc.), electrical charge-basedstorage media (e.g., EEPROM, RAM, etc.), solid-state storage media(e.g., flash drive, etc.), and/or other electronically readable storagemedia. Electronic storage 130 may include one or more virtual storageresources (e.g., cloud storage, a virtual private network, and/or othervirtual storage resources). Electronic storage 130 may store softwarealgorithms, information determined by processor(s) 132, informationreceived from server(s) 102, information received from client computingplatform(s) 104, and/or other information that enables server(s) 102 tofunction as described herein.

Processor(s) 132 may be configured to provide information processingcapabilities in server(s) 102. As such, processor(s) 132 may include oneor more of a digital processor, an analog processor, a digital circuitdesigned to process information, an analog circuit designed to processinformation, a state machine, and/or other mechanisms for electronicallyprocessing information. Although processor(s) 132 is shown in FIG. 1 asa single entity, this is for illustrative purposes only. In someimplementations, processor(s) 132 may include a plurality of processingunits. These processing units may be physically located within the samedevice, or processor(s) 132 may represent processing functionality of aplurality of devices operating in coordination. Processor(s) 132 may beconfigured to execute components 108, 110, 112, 114, 116, 118, 120, 122,124, 126, 128, 134, 135, 136, 137, 140, 142, and/or 144, and/or othercomponents. Processor(s) 132 may be configured to execute components108, 110, 112, 114, 116, 118, 120, 122, 124, 126, 128, 134, 135, 136,137, 140, 142, and/or 144, and/or other components by software;hardware; firmware; some combination of software, hardware, and/orfirmware; and/or other mechanisms for configuring processingcapabilities on processor(s) 132. As used herein, the term “component”may refer to any component or set of components that perform thefunctionality attributed to the component. This may include one or morephysical processors during execution of processor readable instructions,the processor readable instructions, circuitry, hardware, storage media,or any other components.

It should be appreciated that although components 108, 110, 112, 114,116, 118, 120, 122, 124, 126, 128, 134, 135, 136, 137, 140, 142, and/or144 are illustrated in FIG. 1 as being implemented within a singleprocessing unit, in implementations in which processor(s) 132 includesmultiple processing units, one or more of components 108, 110, 112, 114,116, 118, 120, 122, 124, 126, 128, 134, 135, 136, 137, 140, 142, and/or144 may be implemented remotely from the other components. Thedescription of the functionality provided by the different components108, 110, 112, 114, 116, 118, 120, 122, 124, 126, 128, 134, 135, 136,137, 140, 142, and/or 144 described below is for illustrative purposesonly, and is not intended to be limiting, as any of components 108, 110,112, 114, 116, 118, 120, 122, 124, 126, 128, 134, 135, 136, 137, 140,142, and/or 144 may provide more or less functionality than isdescribed. For example, one or more of components 108, 110, 112, 114,116, 118, 120, 122, 124, 126, 128, 134, 135, 136, 137, 140, 142, and/or144 may be eliminated, and some or all of its functionality may beprovided by other ones of components 108, 110, 112, 114, 116, 118, 120,122, 124, 126, 128, 134, 135, 136, 137, 140, 142, and/or 144. As anotherexample, processor(s) 132 may be configured to execute one or moreadditional components that may perform some or all of the functionalityattributed below to one of components 108, 110, 112, 114, 116, 118, 120,122, 124, 126, 128, 134, 135, 136, 137, 140, 142, and/or 144.

FIG. 2 illustrates a method 200 of facilitating staking of combinationsof different types of digital articles on a permanent registry toupgrade player type within an online gaming platform supportingdifferent player types, in accordance with one or more implementations.The operations of method 200 presented below are intended to beillustrative. In some implementations, method 200 may be accomplishedwith one or more additional operations not described, and/or without oneor more of the operations discussed. Additionally, the order in whichthe operations of method 200 are illustrated in FIG. 2 and describedbelow is not intended to be limiting.

In some implementations, method 200 may be implemented in one or moreprocessing devices (e.g., a digital processor, an analog processor, adigital circuit designed to process information, an analog circuitdesigned to process information, a state machine, and/or othermechanisms for electronically processing information). The one or moreprocessing devices may include one or more devices executing some or allof the operations of method 200 in response to instructions storedelectronically on an electronic storage medium. The one or moreprocessing devices may include one or more devices configured throughhardware, firmware, and/or software to be specifically designed forexecution of one or more of the operations of method 200.

At an operation 202, an instance of a game is executed, within theonline gaming platform, to facilitate presentation of the game toplayers, and in-game actions are implemented in the instance of the gamein response to in-game action instructions for the in-game actions bythe players. The presentation of the game is based on views of the gamethat are determined during execution of the instance of the game. Theplayers include a first player and a second player. The different typesof players include a first player type of players and a second playertype of players. The first player type of players have access to a firstset of utilities within the online gaming platform. The second playertype of players have access to an additional set of utilities within theonline gaming platform that the first player type of players do not haveaccess to. In some embodiments, operation 202 is performed by a gamecomponent the same as or similar to game component 108 (shown in FIG. 1and described herein).

At an operation 204, player accounts associated with the players arecontrolled. The player accounts include a first player accountassociated with the first player, having the first player type. Theplayer accounts further include a second player account associated withthe second player, having the second player type. In some embodiments,operation 204 is performed by an account component the same as orsimilar to account component 112 (shown in FIG. 1 and described herein).

At an operation 206, usage of multiple different digital articles isfacilitated within the online gaming platform. The multiple differentdigital articles are usable for individual players of the first playertype to upgrade to the second player type. In some embodiments,operation 206 is performed by a token component and/or an upgradecomponent the same as or similar to token component 140 and/or upgradecomponent 142 (shown in FIG. 1 and described herein).

At an operation 208, a first in-game action instruction is received fromthe first player to perform a first in-game action within the onlinegaming platform. The first in-game action falls within the first set ofutilities. In some embodiments, operation 208 is performed by aninteraction component the same as or similar to interaction component110 (shown in FIG. 1 and described herein).

At an operation 210, a second in-game action instruction is receivedfrom the second player to perform a second in-game action within theonline gaming platform. The second in-game action falls within theadditional set of utilities. In some embodiments, operation 210 isperformed by an interaction component the same as or similar tointeraction component 110 (shown in FIG. 1 and described herein).

At an operation 212, an upgrade instruction is received from the firstplayer to upgrade the first player to the second player type of players,in exchange for staking a combination of a particular amount of a firsttype of digital article and a second type of digital article. In someembodiments, operation 212 is performed by an interaction component, anupgrade component, and/or a staking component the same as or similar tointeraction component 110, upgrade component 142, and/or stakingcomponent 144 (shown in FIG. 1 and described herein).

At an operation 214, the first player is upgraded to the second playertype of players in accordance with the upgrade instruction. In someembodiments, operation 214 is performed by an upgrade component and/or astaking component the same as or similar to upgrade component 142 and/orstaking component 144 (shown in FIG. 1 and described herein).

At an operation 216, a third in-game action instruction is received fromthe first player to perform the second in-game action within the onlinegaming platform. In some embodiments, operation 216 is performed by aninteraction component the same as or similar to interaction component(shown in FIG. 1 and described herein).

At an operation 218, the first, second, and third in-game action areperformed within the online gaming platform. The third in-game action isperformed by virtue of the first player having been upgraded to thesecond player type of players. In some embodiments, operation 218 isperformed by a game component and/or an interaction component the sameas or similar to game component 108 and/or interaction component 110(shown in FIG. 1 and described herein).

Although the present technology has been described in detail for thepurpose of illustration based on what is currently considered to be themost practical and preferred implementations, it is to be understoodthat such detail is solely for that purpose and that the technology isnot limited to the disclosed implementations, but, on the contrary, isintended to cover modifications and equivalent arrangements that arewithin the spirit and scope of the appended claims. It is to beunderstood that the present technology contemplates that, to the extentpossible, one or more features of any implementation can be combinedwith features of any other implementation.

What is claimed is:
 1. A system configured to facilitate staking ofcombinations of different types of digital articles on a permanentregistry to upgrade player type within an online gaming platformsupporting different player types, the system comprising: the onlinegaming platform including one or more hardware processors configured bymachine-readable instructions to: execute, within the online gamingplatform, an instance of a game to facilitate presentation of the gameto players, and implement in-game actions in the instance of the game inresponse to in-game action instructions for the in-game actions by theplayers, wherein the players include a first player and a second player,wherein the different player types include a first player type and asecond player type, wherein the first player type provides access to afirst set of utilities within the online gaming platform, wherein thesecond player type provides access to an additional set of utilitieswithin the online gaming platform that the first player type does notprovide access to; control player accounts associated with the players,wherein the player accounts include a first player account associatedwith the first player, having the first player type, and wherein theplayer accounts further include a second player account associated withthe second player, having the second player type; facilitate usage ofmultiple different digital articles within the online gaming platform,wherein the multiple different digital articles are usable by theindividual players of the first player type to upgrade to the secondplayer type, wherein upgrading to the second player type unlocks theadditional set of utilities; receive a first in-game action instructionfrom the first player to perform a first in-game action within theonline gaming platform, wherein the first in-game action falls withinthe first set of utilities; receive a second in-game action instructionfrom the second player to perform a second in-game action within theonline gaming platform, wherein the second in-game action falls withinthe additional set of utilities; receive an upgrade instruction from thefirst player to upgrade the first player to the second player type, inexchange for staking a combination of a particular amount of a firsttype of digital article and a second type of digital article, whereinthe first type of digital article is different from the second type ofdigital article, wherein the first type of digital article is a fungibledigital article that is tradeable on the permanent registry, and whereinthe second type of digital article is tradeable on the permanentregistry; upgrade the first player to the second player type inaccordance with the upgrade instruction; receive a third in-game actioninstruction from the first player to perform the second in-game actionwithin the online gaming platform; and perform the first, second, andthird in-game action within the online gaming platform, wherein thethird in-game action is performed by virtue of the first player havingbeen upgraded to the second player type.
 2. The system of claim 1,wherein the second type of digital article is a second fungible digitalarticle, wherein the first type of digital article operates as aparticular currency within the online gaming platform, and whereinstaking the particular amount of the first type of digital article isperformed for at least a predetermined duration.
 3. The system of claim1, wherein the second type of digital article is a unique digitalarticle.
 4. The system of claim 1, wherein upgrading the first playerfrom the first player type to the second player type includes stakingthe combination of the particular amount of the first type of digitalarticle and the second type of digital article in accordance with theupgrade instruction, wherein the upgrading is temporary for apredetermined duration, and wherein the upgrading is reverted from thesecond player type to the first player type after the predeterminedduration.
 5. The system of claim 4, wherein the upgrading from the firstplayer type to the second player type is maintained beyond thepredetermined duration in exchange for staking an additionalconsideration at regular intervals.
 6. The system of claim 5, whereinthe additional consideration includes at least one of an additionalamount of a currency within the online gaming platform and an additionalamount of the first type of digital article.
 7. The system of claim 5,wherein the additional consideration includes an additional item of thesecond type of digital article.
 8. The system of claim 5, wherein theadditional consideration includes an additional combination of both anadditional amount of the first digital article and an additional item ofthe second type of digital article.
 9. The system of claim 5, whereinthe additional consideration to maintain the second player type ismodified between subsequent ones of the regular intervals.
 10. Thesystem of claim 1, wherein staking the particular amount of the firsttype of digital article reduces a total circulating supply of the firsttype of digital article, and wherein staked ones of the first type ofdigital article are used within the permanent registry to incentivizevalidating transactions on the permanent registry, and wherein thepermanent registry uses a consensus mechanism based on proof-of-stake(POS) or distributed-proof-of-stake (DPOS).
 11. A method of facilitatingstaking of combinations of different types of digital articles on apermanent registry to upgrade player type within an online gamingplatform supporting different player types, the method comprising:executing, within the online gaming platform, an instance of a game tofacilitate presentation of the game to players, and implement in-gameactions in the instance of the game in response to in-game actioninstructions for the in-game actions by the players, wherein the playersinclude a first player and a second player, wherein the different typesof players include a first player type and a second player type, whereinthe first player type provides access to a first set of utilities withinthe online gaming platform, wherein the second player type providesaccess to an additional set of utilities within the online gamingplatform that the first player type does not provide access to;controlling player accounts associated with the players, wherein theplayer accounts include a first player account associated with the firstplayer, having the first player type, and wherein the player accountsfurther include a second player account associated with the secondplayer, having the second player type; facilitating usage of multipledifferent digital articles within the online gaming platform, whereinthe multiple different digital articles are usable by the individualplayers of the first player type to upgrade to the second player type,wherein upgrading to the second player type unlocks the additional setof utilities; receiving a first in-game action instruction from thefirst player to perform a first in-game action within the online gamingplatform, wherein the first in-game action falls within the first set ofutilities; receiving a second in-game action instruction from the secondplayer to perform a second in-game action within the online gamingplatform, wherein the second in-game action falls within the additionalset of utilities; receiving an upgrade instruction from the first playerto upgrade the first player to the second player type, in exchange forstaking a combination of a particular amount of a first type of digitalarticle and a second type of digital article, wherein the first type ofdigital article is different from the second type of digital article,wherein the first type of digital article is a fungible digital articlethat is tradeable on the permanent registry, and wherein the second typeof digital article is tradeable on the permanent registry; upgrading thefirst player to the second player type in accordance with the upgradeinstruction; receiving a third in-game action instruction from the firstplayer to perform the second in-game action within the online gamingplatform; and performing the first, second, and third in-game actionwithin the online gaming platform, wherein the third in-game action isperformed by virtue of the first player having been upgraded to thesecond player type.
 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the second typeof digital article is a second fungible digital article, wherein thefirst type of digital article operates as a particular currency withinthe online gaming platform, and wherein staking the particular amount ofthe first type of digital article is performed for at least apredetermined duration.
 13. The method of claim 11, wherein the secondtype digital article is a unique digital article.
 14. The method ofclaim 11, wherein upgrading the first player from the first player typeto the second player type includes staking the combination of theparticular amount of the first type of digital article and the secondtype of digital article in accordance with the upgrade instruction,wherein the upgrading is temporary for a predetermined duration, andwherein the upgrading is reverted from the second player type to thefirst player type after the predetermined duration.
 15. The method ofclaim 14, wherein the upgrading from the first player type to the secondplayer type is maintained beyond the predetermined duration in exchangefor staking an additional consideration at regular intervals.
 16. Themethod of claim 15, wherein the additional consideration includes atleast one of an additional amount of a currency within the online gamingplatform and an additional amount of the first type of digital article.17. The method of claim 15, wherein the additional considerationincludes an additional item of the second type of digital article. 18.The method of claim 15, wherein the additional consideration includes anadditional combination of both an additional amount of the first digitalarticle and an additional item of the second type of digital article.19. The method of claim 15, wherein the additional consideration tomaintain the second player type is modified between subsequent ones ofthe regular intervals.
 20. The method of claim 11, wherein staking theparticular amount of the first type of digital article reduces a totalcirculating supply of the first type of digital article, and whereinstaked ones of the first type of digital article are used within thepermanent registry to incentivize validating transactions on thepermanent registry, and wherein the permanent registry uses a consensusmechanism based on proof-of-stake (POS) or distributed-proof-of-stake(DPOS).